The present embodiments relate to a positioning device for a mammography unit for the relative positioning of a radiation source and an object holder.
Mammography units perform examinations on the soft tissue of the human breast using x-rays and are used for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Early diagnosis examinations form part of standard preventative medical checkups in some countries of Europe, such as Germany. As a result of the frequency of the mammography examinations and the simultaneous cost pressure in terms of health care, it is necessary to simplify the operation of mammography units and to increase their flexibility of use in order in this way to conserve examination time while retaining or improving examination quality.
Mammography units, such as “Mammomat 1000”, “Mammomat 3000 Nova” and “Mammomat Novation”, in terms of constructive design, are realized in a similar fashion and are described representationally in the example of the “Mammomat Novation”: The mammography unit has a base body and a device arm, which is angled and protrudes from the base body, at the free end of which a radiation source is arranged. The device arm is realized as a sheet metal construction and is connected to an axis of rotation of the mammography unit in a torque-proof fashion. The radiation source can be pivoted about 360° about the isocenter. An object table is mounted on the device arm by way of a rotative connection. The object table is pivotable about 360° about the isocenter.